Today in Herstory: Suffragists Sentenced to Three Days in Jail for Picketing the White House

[niyad]

Today in Herstory: Suffragists Sentenced to Three Days in Jail for Picketing the White House



July 6, 1917: Three days in jail was the sentence Judge Mullowney reluctantly imposed today in Washington, D.C.’s Police Court on eleven of the suffragists who took part in a “Silent Sentinel” picketing of the White House on July 4th.


Cartoonist Nina Allender’s view of the July 4th demonstration as drawn for the National Woman’s Party’s official publication, “The Suffragist.”


They were given a choice of paying fines or going to jail, and all chose prison. The judge first offered to release them on personal bond if they would agree to stay away from the White House for about six months and “not bother the President” during these “abnormal times” which began with our entry into the war three months ago.

But none of those convicted on false charges of “blocking traffic” on the wide Pennsylvania Avenue sidewalk thought they were guilty of anything, nor were they willing to surrender their right of free speech. So after acknowledging that “I know it’s not going to make you quit marching in front of the White House” and even volunteering to pay their fines, the judge said: “Well, it’s no use to ask you to make any promises. I know you won’t do it. So I’ll have to give you the same as I gave the others last week – $25 fine each or three days in jail.” Then off to the District Jail they went.
Cartoonist Nina Allender's view of the July 4th demonstration as drawn for the National Woman's Party's official publication, "The Suffragist."
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The Independence Day event began about noon, when the first six demonstrators – followed by about 2,000 spectators – marched out of the National Woman’s Party’s headquarters toward the White House. Helena Hill Weed carried a banner saying: “GOVERNMENTS DERIVE THEIR JUST POWERS FROM THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED.” Since it was already public knowledge that the pickets would be there to defy a police ban on picketing along the White House fence, another large crowd had already gathered in that location to watch the confrontation.

Upon nearing the White House gates, a struggle between picketers and police ensued, and one by one, the National Woman’s Party’s purple, white and gold standards, and the “offensive” banner quoting the Declaration of Independence, came down amid the cheers of the crowd as arrests were made. A second assault on the objective was made outside the West Gate shortly afterward by another contingent, with Joy Young holding up a banner asking: “MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE?” The earlier scene was repeated again.

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http://feminist.org/blog/index.php/2015/07/06/today-in-herstory-suffragists-sentenced-to-three-days-in-jail-for-picketing-the-white-house/

[SunSeeker]

1. Nothing women have today came without a fight. Nothing.

We owe those brave women before us so much.